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Fargesia pest ID help.

Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 3:00 pm
by That Idiot
Over at the Gardening & Landscaping StackExchange there is a question about a problem with a fargesia. Can anyone ID the culprit?

http://gardening.stackexchange.com/ques ... s-fargesia

Re: Fargesia pest ID help.

Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:07 pm
by Rai Hannover
In Europe we have the Asian leaf mining fly Cerodontha unisetiorbita on bamboo, but the leaf mines are looking somewhat different:
http://www.diptera.info/forum/viewthrea ... d_id=56490
Please find a pupa of the culprit. Try to get an insect from the pupa.

Rai

Re: Fargesia pest ID help.

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 9:03 am
by ShmuBamboo
Looks like bamboo mites to me. We have had many discussions about them here on this web site. There is no organic way to eradicate them effectively, as they are only 90% controlled with insecticidal soaps and horticultural oil sprays. 90% is not effective in getting rid of bamboo mites. Predatory mites are even less effective. You are better off using something like Avid (or generic abamectin) or Talstar (bifenthrin) that has a 100% potential rate of control mixed with or rotated with oil and/or soap over a period of time. They can be ordered online on Ebay in small or large quantities, depending on how many plants you have to spray. I recommend that people spray in the fall and winter in milder climates, and when it is above freezing in colder climates when mite activity is low. Once things heat up mites become very active and reproduce at such a rate that they are nearly impossible to control. They also spread easily by contact, so you want to avoid brushing up against them and spreading them around until the mites are killed off. Also look for places nearby that the mites may be coming from like neighbors' yards, and be weary of places that you visit (friends' or other gardens with bamboos that are infected with bamboo mites that you may come into contact with). Once you know what to look for, boo mites are easy to spot.

Re: Fargesia pest ID help.

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:03 pm
by johnw
Have to agree with the bamboo mites. You might want to tell the owner these mites are not the common ones but specific to bamboo and extremely difficult to get rid of. I'd be interested to know where that Fargesia is growing as those mites aren't keen on eastern North America. Can we presume it's on the west coast?

Re: Fargesia pest ID help.

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 8:26 am
by ShmuBamboo
'That Idiot' is listed on the OP reference site as being located on Long Island, NY, and it was 23 deg. F. when the photo was taken.

Seems that the boo mites must have adapted to the Northeast winter weather, or they live in a warmer spot on Long Island. Or maybe the Fargesia was a recent import from the west or south and the damage happened this past summer.